Aquaponic vertical garden with integrated air channel for plant-based air filtration

ABSTRACT

Embodiments are described for a closed-loop, vertical garden system for growing plants and filtering air and water comprising: a support structure; a composite, grow media configured to physically support the growth of plants and distribute water to the roots of the plants through capillary action through the area of the grow media; a water source coupled to the grow media through a pump and plumbing system, wherein the plumbing system is configured to draw water from the water source through the grow media and back to the water source in substantially closed loop aquatic system; and an air flow subsystem configured to draw outside air through the plants and transmit filtered air back out of the support structure.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/792,696, entitled “Aquaponic Vertical GardenUsing a Stretchable Grow Media” filed on Jun. 2, 2010, which in turn isa Continuation-in-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/403,939,filed on Mar. 13, 2009 and entitled “Vertical Aquaponic Micro Farm” nowissued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,181,391, which in turn claims the benefit ofU.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/069,447 entitled “VerticalAquaponic Micro Farm” and filed on Mar. 14, 2008, all of which arehereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. The presentinvention is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/792,683,filed on Jun. 2, 2010 and entitled “Grow and Support Media for VerticalGarden Applications.”

FIELD

Embodiments of the invention relate generally to plant growing systems,and more specifically, to vertical gardens incorporating grow media andair filtration structures.

BACKGROUND

Limited space is often a significant constraint in garden and plantgrowing applications, especially in urban locations and building(interior and exterior) environments. Vertical gardens have beendeveloped as a way of facilitating the growth of ornamental and foodplants along building walls, balconies, rooftops and other similarlocations. Such vertical gardens can be an effective way to grow a largenumber of plants in limited space and transform stark buildingenvironments into areas of greenery and lush landscapes. Presentvertical garden systems, however, suffer from certain disadvantages thatlimit them from being truly applicable to a wide range of applications.

A vertical garden is basically a framework of plants placed onto theside of a building or a wall. They can be placed indoors or outdoors andin full or partial sun environments, depending on what types of plantsare grown. Present vertical gardens are available only in a few limitedconfigurations. The most basic vertical garden consists of a series ofbags or containers that hold soil, and that are attached or hungdirectly on a wall or suspended vertically in a frame or similarstructure. Such gardens are basically soil gardens that have beenoriented vertically, with plants growing vertically upward from bags orbaskets of soil. Soil based vertical gardens may provide some degree ofspace savings, but they still rely on soil as the growth media.Consequently, they suffer from the disadvantages traditionallyassociated with soil, that is, they are heavy, bulky, dirty, andinefficient with regard to water use.

Another vertical garden system uses a metal frame with a waterproofbacking material (e.g., Polyvinyl Chloride PVC) that is attacheddirectly to a wall or vertical surface. A second material, such as feltor cotton is glued or otherwise attached to the PVC layer and provides acapillary structure for supporting the plants and distributing water. Avariation of this type of wall garden is a system that uses particleboard with an absorbent filler material that holds water in a certainwidth (e.g., two to three inches) of material, and which is attached tothe hard vertical surface. One disadvantage of these systems is thatsince they attach directly to the wall surface, a waterproof layer mustbe provided to eliminate the possibility of wall damage. Anotherdisadvantage of these systems is that because the grow media is directlyattached to a hard substrate or waterproof layer, they are limited withrespect to configuration and applications on different types ofsurfaces, or different size surfaces.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

Each publication, patent, and/or patent application mentioned in thisspecification is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to thesame extent as if each individual publication and/or patent applicationwas specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated byreference.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments are illustrated by way of example and not limitation in thefigures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicatesimilar elements.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a vertical garden using a biomatrix growmedia, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the vertical garden of FIG. 1, accordingto an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a vertical garden using a biomatrix growmedia, according to an alternative embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a vertical garden attached to the sideof a building wall, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 5 illustrates the composition of a biomatrix grow media, under anembodiment.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a vertical garden and a bio-mat grow mediasystem, under an embodiment.

FIG. 7 illustrates the recirculation of water through a pump structureand capillary grow media for a vertical garden, under an embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a front view of a recirculating water distribution system fora vertical garden under an embodiment.

FIG. 9 illustrates a wall garden-based hydroponic filter system, underan embodiment.

FIG. 10 illustrates a perforated backing that can be used to mount thebiomatrix for use in a filtration system, under an embodiment.

FIG. 11 illustrates the mounting of a biomatrix on a perforated backingelement, under an embodiment.

FIG. 12 illustrates the mounting of a fan within the filtration unit,under an embodiment.

FIG. 13 illustrates the use of two filtration units to form a wallfilter system, under an embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram that illustrates certain functionalcomponents of an air and water hydroponic filtration system, under anembodiment.

SUMMARY OF EMBODIMENTS

In an embodiment, a vertical garden or micro farm is designed to supportand incorporate a variety of decorative and/or food plants. The systemincorporates a biologically active grow mat and filter system andcombines a biological filter system with aquaculture, hydroponics,solar, wind, and battery technologies. The vertical aquaponic gardenrepresents a self-sustaining micro farm that can be set up in any areawith exposure to sunlight and/or wind. It can be used in exteriorlocations, or interior applications with the addition of appropriatelighting systems. Depending on application, the system usessignificantly less water that required for traditional farming. Water isrecycled through the grow media bed (biomatrix) and a biologic filter,which can be inoculated with a culture of nitrifying bacteria incombination with the plant roots. The biomatrix for the grow mediacomprises a permeable or non-permeable backing layer that has a definedelasticity to facilitate stretching, an activated carbon filter layerattached to the backing layer, one or more capillary biomats attached tothe filter layer that physically support the growth of one or morevarieties of plants and distribute water to the roots of the plantsthrough capillary action through the area of the grow media, and anoptional front panel layer attached to one of the capillary biomatlayers, the front panel layer comprising a porous structure made ofpolypropylene configured to support the plants growing in a directionsubstantially perpendicular to the plane the front panel surface. Thebacking layer may be a ultraviolet blocking backing layer of an opaquedark color configured to prevent ultraviolet radiation from penetratinga back surface of the backing layer, and to prevent water frompenetrating a front surface of the backing layer. The grow media isprovided as a thin lightweight fabric-like media, that can be used in aframe-based vertical garden or attached directly to a vertical surface.

Embodiments are also directed to a wall filter system that utilizes thenatural capacity of plants to filter air. The grow media is mounted ontoa perforated backing so that air is drawn across the entire plantedstructure, including leaves and roots. This system maximizes theabsorption of carbon dioxide and airborne volatile organic compounds(VOCs). In an interior application, such a system can help improveoverall indoor air quality, reduce levels of VOCs and carbon dioxide,and provide water-efficient interior landscaping.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of grow media and structure for vertical gardens andmicrofarms are described. In the following description, numerousspecific details are introduced to provide a thorough understanding of,and enabling description for, embodiments of the system. One skilled inthe relevant art, however, will recognize that these embodiments can bepracticed without one or more of the specific details, or with othercomponents, systems, and so on. In other instances, well-knownstructures or operations are not shown, or are not described in detail,to avoid obscuring aspects of the disclosed embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a vertical garden using a biomatrix growmedia, according to an embodiment. In one embodiment, the verticalgarden comprises a substantially rectangular frame structure thatsupports a multi-layer grow media on which various types of plants aregrown. FIG. 1 illustrates a vertical garden structure 100 undercultivation with actively growing plants 110 growing out of a hydroponicgarden bio media 104. The grow media 104 is a multilayer fabric assemblythat is also referred to as a “biomatrix” or “biomat”. The verticalgarden frame structure 102 of FIG. 1 is attached to a water reservoir ortrough 106 which contains a pump. The pump circulates water back up fordistribution through a sprinkler or other water distribution channel108. The pump may be actuated by a timer that pumps water at certaintime intervals or at a certain flow rate depending on environmentalconditions and the needs of the plants. As shown, the structure 102comprises a set of metal tubes that are arranged in a square orrectangular shape. The frame structure 102 may be made of any number ofmaterials, such as steel, aluminum, plastic, wood, bamboo, and carbonfiber, or any other suitable material depending upon cost, location, andenvironmental factors. The frame structure can be fashioned in manydifferent dimensions and shapes, depending on needs and sizeconstraints. Appropriate power supply leads or generators can beattached to power to the pond pump, timer, and any other electricalcomponents of garden 100.

The vertical garden 100 incorporates a biologically active grow mat andfilter system and combines a biological filter system with aquacultureand hydroponics technologies. Centrally positioned in the framestructure 100 is a substantially vertical hydroponic plant growingsystem. In one embodiment, plants 110 are planted into a series ofvertically set, vegetable fiber or food grade fiber bio-mats, which mayadditionally include activated carbon filtration mats. Alternatively thefiber biomat substrate may be replaced with stones, glass or brickfragments, or any combination thereof.

As shown in FIG. 1, the biomat 104 (also referred to as a “biomatrix”)is a flexible substrate material that is attached to connection pointsof the frame through cables and connectors. The embodiment of FIG. 1illustrates a biomat 104 that is attached to the corners of the frame102 through appropriate cable/connector assemblies. Alternatively, thebiomat 104 can be attached to other portions of the frame, such as alongthe sides of the tubes. In an embodiment, the main backing portion ofthe biomat is a vinyl layer that can be stretched taut within the frameto orient the grow layers of the biomat in a substantially verticalposition within the frame.

In a general implementation, water is recycled through the biomat growmedia 104 and a biologic filter, which can be inoculated with a cultureof nitrifying bacteria in combination with the plant roots. Water isheld within the trough 106 for recycling through the biomat on aperiodic basis. In an embodiment fish may be kept in the trough toimplement a closed-loop biological hydroponic aquaculture system, asdescribed in related patent application Ser. No. 12/403,939.

The entire structure 100 of FIG. 1 may be set on a steel foundation foradded stability. Alternatively, the frame posts may be set in concreteor equivalent foundations for permanent or semi-permanent deployment. Ina further alternative embodiment, the frame structure may be placed oncasters, wheels or movable pallets for mobile or temporary deployments.An optional light assembly (bulbs or bar) may be attached to the frameto provide light to the plants for use in low-light environments.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the vertical garden of FIG. 1, accordingto an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the vertical garden constitutes anappealing structure once it is populated with growing plants. It can befashioned into virtually any shape and size, and is made of relativelylight-weight material to facilitate portability and placement in a widerange of locations. The embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate thebiomat hanging from a frame or mounted on a scaffold structure. Such astructure can be used as a standalone vertical garden, or it may bepositioned adjacent to, or even integrated as part of a building wall.

The vertical garden may be formed into various different shapes andsizes according to particular constraints and needs. It may be embodiedin the frame structure of FIG. 1, which may be of a size on the order of10×12 feet, or similar dimensions, that may be suitable for outdoor orgreenhouse environments. Alternatively, it may be embodied in a smaller,more portable structure for inside or small garden environments. Assuch, the garden structure may be on the order of 3×5 feet, or similardimensions. In such an embodiment, the garden structure may be formedinto an integrated decorative structure that resembles stone or plaster,and that may suitable for indoor or even table-top use. FIG. 3 is aperspective view of a vertical garden using a biomatrix grow media,according to an alternative embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the verticalgarden 300 comprises a frame structure 302 that integrally includes awater basin 306. The biomatrix 304 is attached to a surface of the frameand supports the growth of plants 310. The garden structure 302 may bemade of any appropriate material, such as plaster, cement, stone,plastic, wood, and the like. It may be molded or carved into any shapeand size that is suitable for supporting a biomatrix of the desireddimension. In an embodiment, the biomatrix 304 may be attached to avertical surface of the structure 302. Alternatively, the structure 302may be formed to include at least a partially open frame, and thebiomatrix can be suspended within the frame in a vertical orsubstantially vertical orientation. The basin 306 holds water and alsoincludes a pump that feeds water back through the biomatrix for periodicand constant irrigation of the biomatrix.

For embodiments in which the backing material comprises a permeablematerial, the vertical garden may be embodied within a space frame thatallows growing of plants from both surfaces or sides of the biomatrixmaterial. Such a space frame can be used to construct garden cubiclesfor use in offices or interior applications, or similar openenvironments.

In one embodiment, the vertical garden may be configured to be mountedon the side of a building wall or other large-scale vertical structure.FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a vertical garden attached to the sideof a building wall, according to an embodiment. In this case, thebiomatrix grow media 404 is attached directly to a wall surface 402.This allows plants 410 to appear as if they are growing out of thesurface of the wall. The biomatrix may be irrigated by external means,such as a hose is used manually or automatically to spray water onto theplants 410 and the biomatrix 404. Alternatively, a separate water troughand pump system (not shown) may be used to provide water to thebiomatrix. The biomatrix can be attached to the wall surface by glue,nails, or other appropriate attachment means, depending upon thematerial of the wall, and the size and shape of the biomatrix.

In an alternative embodiment, the vertical wall garden may beimplemented along the surface of a chain link fence, or any othertrellis or fence structure. In this case, the fence forms the framestructure, and the biomatrix is attached through tension cables toappropriate spots of the fence. For example, a rectangular sheet ofbiomatrix may be provided with cables and hooks attached to its fourcorners. These can then be used to hook the biomatrix along the side ofa chain link fence. Cable tensioners can be provided to pull thebiomatrix taut, once it is mounted to the fence. In this manner, avertical garden can quickly and easily be installed in many differenturban environments, such as schools and playgrounds.

Many different types of plants can be grown using the biomatrix growmedia and the vertical garden structure. Various types of herbs,decorative plants and flowers, and food plants can relatively easily begrown using this system. Generally, plants with standard root systemswork best, and many different sizes can be accommodated, while bulb andtuber plants (e.g., potatoes, carrots, turnips, etc.) are not assuitable.

As shown in FIG. 1, a main component of the vertical garden 100 is theflexible biomatrix grow media 104. This is a lightweight, flexiblematerial that is composed several layers joined together to form acomposite matrix that supports plants and efficiently distributes waterand nutrients. FIG. 5 illustrates the composition of a biomatrix growmedia, under an embodiment. The composite biomatrix fabric 500 comprisesa main substrate layer 502 which is a backing layer. The backing layercan be made of a waterproof material, such as rubber or rubber-likematerial, vinyl (e.g., marine-grade vinyl), PVC, or similar material.This layer provides the structural support for the remaining layers ofthe biomatrix and attaches directly to the frame or wall of the verticalgarden. It is an elastic or slightly elastic material that can bestretched by a certain amount to provide tension when deployed in thevertical garden frame or structure. For implementations where the wallgarden is attached directly to the surface of a building wall or placedflush against a wall, the backing layer 502 is selected to beimpermeable to prevent water from penetrating through and staining ordamaging the wall.

In an alternative embodiment, the backing layer can be a permeable layerthat is made of a porous material, such as fibrous mesh. This meshmaterial can be made of natural fibers, such as bamboo or burlap, or itmay be made of polypropylene or similar material. The use of a permeablebacking layer, as opposed to a non-permeable backing layer allows forthe passage of air through the biomatrix, such that the biomatrix formsan air filter structure. This also allows for the growth of plants outof both sides of the material. Such a material can be used forapplications requiring air filtration for use in space frame interiors,and should be selected to provide an adequate structural support for theplants as well as permeability for air flow.

An active carbon layer 504 is affixed to the backing layer 502. Theactive layer is essentially an activated carbon filter layer that helpsfilter the water supply, adds a carbon nutrient for the plant roots andprovides a surface area for microorganism colonies that aids in the biodigestion of the nitrogen load in the water supply and helps withfiltering hydrocarbons from the air that are breathed in through theplants leaves and xylem by the photosynthesis and evapo-transpirationcycle. In an embodiment, the active carbon layer is formed bysandwiching an amount of charcoal powder or similar carbon materialbetween two permeable layers.

As shown in FIG. 5, the biomatrix grow media 500 includes a number ofcapillary biomat layers 506-512 that are attached to the active carbonlayer 504. The capillary biomat layers comprise thin mesh fabric layers,such as felt, cotton, vegetable fibers, or similar material, that helpdistribute water across the entire surface area of the biomatrix 500.Any practical number of capillary layers may be used, and typicallyrange from one to four layers, though embodiments are not so limited. Aswater is poured, sprayed or otherwise introduced to the biomatrix, thecapillary layer or layers help to evenly distribute the water among theplant roots through wicking and capillary action. The outer layer 514 ofthe biomatrix 500 is a front panel layer that consists of a bio filterfabric and can be made of polypropylene or similar material. This layerprovides the main structural support layer for the plants themselves. Itis a relatively stiff, porous layer that allows plants to be insertedperpendicularly through the surface of the material, and supports themain stem or body of the plant when the biomatrix is oriented verticallywith respect to the ground. The thickness, porosity, and stiffness ofthe front panel layer 514 can be selected according to the type ofplants that are to be grown in the vertical garden. Essentially arelatively thin front panel layer can be used for small plants, such asherbs, and a thicker and/or stiffer front panel layer can be used forlarger or heavier plants. In certain lightweight implementations inwhich very small and light plants are grown, the polypropylene frontpanel may be omitted to result in a biomatrix that is very light andthin. In this case, the capillary and filter layers provide the physicalsupport structure for the plants.

The front panel layer 514 can be made of either a polypropylenematerial, which is relatively non-biodegradable, or it can be made of abiodegradable material that can be broken down and/or recycled. Such abiodegradable layer may be made from a fibrous material, such as coconuthusk fabric, or similar natural fabric.

The layers of the biomatrix 500 are attached together to form acomposite fabric-like material of a thickness on the order of one to twoinches thick in total. The layers can be attached to one another throughany appropriate means, such as glued, stapled, riveted, or sewntogether. For example, in a frame-based vertical garden implementationof approximately 5×8 feet in size, the layers of the biomatrix can bejoined by rivets placed every six inches along the edge of thebiomatrix. This is just one example of a joining method for thebiomatrix, and many other techniques can be used depending on the size,cost, and implementation details of the vertical garden installation.

The biomatrix grow media is a fabric composition that constitutes acombined support, water distribution, and filter system. The biomat andfilter layers 502 to 514 are illustrated as a number of separatemat-like components of the same size deployed in a sandwich array. Itshould be noted, however, that this filter and plant substrate systemcan be composed of mats and/or filters of any appropriate size, shapeand material depending upon configuration and needs. For example, anypractical number of capillary biomat layers (e.g., 1-4) may be used, andthe active carbon filter layer 502 may be separate or integrated withinthe one or more capillary mat layers. The capillary biomat layers506-512 can be built from many different fiber materials and meshdesigns. For example, the biomat structures can comprise baskets ofstone, glass, charcoal or other locally available substrates.

The biomatrix material 500 features several advantages over presentvertical garden media. First, it is thin and lightweight. The thicknessof the biomatrix in a typical wall garden implementation is on the orderof one-inch thick. The material can be rolled up for ease oftransportation and storage. It can be easily deployed in a variety ofdifferent frame and wall configurations, as well as portable or movablegarden structures. Another advantage is that the biomatrix is pliableand flexible. This allows a degree of stretching, which allows thematrix to be utilized in many different applications, since it canliterally be stretched to fit the appropriate area. With aself-contained cable and attachment assembly, the grow media can quicklybe mounted virtually anywhere on walls and fences to provide verticalgarden installations.

The biomat and filter structure of the grow media 500 provides a supportstructure and space for plant roots that grow perpendicularly out of themedia. FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a vertical garden and a biomat growmedia system, under an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 6, a plant 614 isplanted substantially perpendicularly through the front panel 612 andinto the capillary 606-610 and the filter layer 604. The plant is heldin place by the front panel layer 612, and the roots 616 pass throughand grow through the other biomat layers and continue growing into theactivated carbon filter layer 604. The biomat assembly is held in placeby a biomat holder frame structure or is attached directly to the wallthrough the waterproof backing material 602.

As shown in FIG. 6, the backing material 602, which is typically a blackvinyl layer, constitutes a black background that allows the plants togrow in the proper orientation. In general the plant roots 616 grow intothe dark and away from the sunlight that falls on the front layer 612.The impermeable backing layer, which is also a UV block, prevents theroots from penetrating through the back of the biomatrix, and aphenomenon known as “air pruning” prevents the roots from coming backout of the front of the biomatrix. It has been found that the roots growin small compact circular structures within the filter layer 604 of thebiomatrix.

In an embodiment, the biomatrix forms an integral part of a verticalgarden system that also includes a closed loop water distributionsystem. This system generally comprises a water reservoir (e.g., abasin, trough or other suitable container), a pump, return pipe, andwater distribution pipe, and optionally, an automatic timer. FIG. 7illustrates the recirculation of water through a pump structure andcapillary grow media for a vertical garden, under an embodiment. Asshown in FIG. 7, the vertical garden 700 comprises a frame 702 to whichis attached the biomatrix grow media 704 that supports plants 710. Wateris taken from reservoir 706 by recirculation pump 712 and is fed throughtube 714 up to a water return pipe or other water distribution system.For the embodiment of FIG. 7, the water return pipe comprises a sectionof tubing that runs along a channel 716 that extends across the lengthof the biomatrix 704. The water is sprayed or dripped out ofdistribution holes along the length of the tube and permeates a portionof the biomatrix. The biomatrix constitutes a membrane that wicks thewater throughout its entire area through the capillary action of thecapillary layers. Because of its vertical orientation, excess water isdrawn back down through the biomatrix by gravity and back into the waterreservoir. In optimal implementations, a timer and appropriate waterflow rates are used to minimize excess water use and flowback. Thus, allof the water distributed onto the matrix passes through the activatedcarbon layer and the vegetable fiber (capillary) biomats and is retainedthrough a water envelope mechanism that uses evapo-transpirationmechanisms. This allows minimal use of water and greatly increases theefficiency of the vertical garden.

As shown in FIG. 7, the water redistribution mechanism comprises a pump,return pipe and water distribution tube that is contained in a channeland allows water to basically be drawn through the biomatrix materialthrough capillary action. In this embodiment, water essentially leechesonto and through the biomatrix material. In an alternative embodiment, awater distribution tube or set of sprinklers may be used to pour wateronto the biomatrix. FIG. 8 is a front view of a recirculating waterdistribution system for a vertical garden under an embodiment. As shownin FIG. 8, the recirculation pump 810 in trough 806 pumps the water backup a plumbing tube 820 to continue the water cycle in a closed loop.Water is fed into an outflow pipe 808, which comprises a pipe with anumber of spray holes formed along its length. Water from the outflowpipe 808 drips or flows through these holes onto the biomatrix 804 andis distributed through the biomatrix through the capillary layers. Anyexcess water then drips back into the water trough 806. The return tube820 that connects the pump to the outflow pipe 808 may be configured torun within one of the tubes that make up the frame 802 of the verticalgarden 800.

Other water return mechanisms may also be used, such as soaker hosesplaced adjacent to the biomatrix or water reservoirs that are kept inconstant contact with a side or portion of the biomatrix. Othercomponents (not shown) may also be included in the water recirculationsystem. These include additional plumbing and filtration elements, suchas an ultra violet filter/sterilization unit. An upper irrigationreservoir may also be used to hold and drip water onto the biomatrix bygravity feed. In general, the water in system 700 is run on a closed,continuous recirculation loop by means of a pump that is operated by anautomated timer that is programmed to run the pump periodicallyaccording to a defined timing schedule or continuously at a defined flowrate.

In one embodiment, the capillary biomat layers of the biomatrix may beinoculated with beneficial bacteria (e.g., Nitrosamines andNitrobacteria) that convert ammonia into nitrite, and then nitrite intonitrate, so that the plants can metabolize. As the water passes throughthe biomats, effluent and nutrients are metabolized by the plant rootsand the beneficial bacteria. In this case, any excess water may bereturned to the reservoir clear of materials. This application istypically used when the biomatrix is used in a system that includes afish pond, as described below.

In another embodiment, the water reservoir 806 may comprise a fish pondthat contains a number of fish. In this embodiment, the water in thefish pond collects waste from the fish, dead plants, uneaten fish food,and other biological residue. These are passed as part of the nutrientload in the water incorporating ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, andnitrogen. The water and both soluble and solid wastes are sucked up fromthe floor of the fish pond and recycled through a biological filtersystem that consists of the filter and capillary biomats on which plantsare grown. The bio mats may be inoculated with the beneficial bacteriaand nutrients (e.g., nitrobacteria and nitrosamines) for the purpose ofbreaking down the ammonia and nitrite load in the water and convertingcomponents in the effluent into nitrate, a plant food.

The biomatrix may even be provided in the form of fabric sheets that canbe used to make tents, awnings, or similar protective or structuralfabric structures. In this case, the structural fabric can be used togrow plants as well as provide shelter.

The vertical aquaponic garden according to embodiments allows a form offarming or gardening that is suitable for virtually any size flat orvertical surface. In general, the vertical garden structure comprises asquare or rectangular scaffolding or frame support structure.Alternatively, no standalone frame structure may be used and the systemmay instead be flat mounted on a vertical (wall) or horizontal (ground)surface. For flat farming options, the frame can be placed horizontallyrather than vertically and run on a hydroponic growing system.Alternatively, the biomatrix grow media may be installed directly on orabove the ground and attached through pegs or other connection means.

Other alternative embodiments of the vertical aquaponic micro farm arepossible. For example, it is possible to run the vertical garden systemwithout the aquaculture component FIGS. 7 and 8. In the absence of theaquaculture component, water, as well as nutrients and microorganismscan be applied to the biomatrix by hosing the biomatrix, spraying theplants, or periodic soaking of the biomatrix.

The system can be installed indoors with the addition of an appropriatelight system or out doors with natural sun light. The biomatrix can beseeded directly as is conventionally done with soil-based plants. Thebiomatrix system can also be pre-seeded, sprouted and placed into avertical garden, as seasonal conditions permit.

Embodiments of the grow media can be used in any type of closed-loopaquatic and closed-loop electrical system for growing plants comprising:a support structure, the biomatrix placed in the support structure in asubstantially vertical orientation and supporting the growth of one ormore varieties of plants, a water source coupled to the bio-mats througha pump and plumbing system, wherein the plumbing system is configured todraw water from the water source through the bio-mats and back to thewater source in substantially closed loop aquatic system, and one ormore power generation components generating power from non-electricalgrid-based power sources, and a power storage system storing powergenerated by the power generation components and providing electricalenergy to the pump and plumbing system to provide power in asubstantially closed-loop electrical system. In this system, theplumbing system comprises one or more water pumps and filters, and thepower generation circuits may include wind turbines, water turbines,solar panels, and human-powered generators.

Air Filtration System

In an embodiment, the biomatrix grow media can be installed or mountedin a hydroponic wall filter system that includes an air flow andfiltration subsystem to move air through the structure of leaves androots of plants growing from the biomatrix. Such a system draws airinward through the biomatrix and plant structure and discharges cleanfiltered air out of a port or vent in the unit to clean and refresh theair within a room.

FIG. 9 illustrates a wall garden-based hydroponic filter system 900,under an embodiment. Filtration unit 900 comprising a biomatrix growmedia 906 mounted onto a perforated backing element 904. FIG. 9illustrates a partial coverage of the biomatrix over the backingelement, but in most implementations, the biomatrix would cover theentire surface of the backing element. The backing element 904 isconfigured to provide support for the biomatrix 906 that has plantsinserted and growing outward from the media, and to facilitate the flowof air 916 through the grow media and certain airflow channels withinthe filtration unit 900. As shown FIG. 9, external air 916 is drawnthrough the plant structure and biomatrix 906 where it is effectivelypurified or filtered through the natural filtration process provided byplants and greenery. Different types of plants may be used for thispurpose, and the amount of air purification that is provided can bealtered using a different variety and density of plant structures.

Filtration unit 900 includes a baffle structure 916 that channels thefiltered air 918 within the unit. The baffle structure defines aninternal airflow channel or channels, and can be made up of differentinternal wall elements depending on the configuration of the unit. In anembodiment, the baffle 906 is a solid sheet of stainless steel, sealedat a portion of the top and sides to provide an inlet channel. Air 916is drawn from the outside by an internal mounted fan 908 through thebiomatrix 906 and the perforated backing 904. down the front face of thebaffle 916. The air moves under the bottom edge of the baffle, then upthe rear face of the baffle to an outlet channel defined by panels suchas panel 902 and 910. The filtered air 918 is then returned to the roomas expelled air 920 through an opening or vent 912 in the top/front ofthe system. The baffle 916 allows the air to be drawn at an equal flowrate across both the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the biomatrixgrow medium.

In an embodiment, the airflow channels are generally formed by one ormore interior walls or surfaces of the unit, such as a baffle 906 sothat clean filtered air 920 is ejected out of a vent 912. A fan 908mounted within the unit draws the external air 916 through the biomatrix906 and backing element 904 and creates the clean filtered air that ischanneled as internal air flow 918 for ejection out of the unit. Asshown in FIG. 9, the fan 908 and clean air output vent is located in anupper portion of the unit 900, but other mounting configurations arealso possible, such as side mounting, or bottom mounting for ejection ofthe filtered air out of other vent locations, such as the back, middle,or sides of the unit.

As also shown in FIG. 9, the filtration unit includes a bottom portionthat forms at least part of a water reservoir 914 for use of thebiomatrix in a hydroponic application utilizing a water pump and flowprocess, as illustrated in FIG. 3, for example. In this manner, thefiltration unit filters both air and water through the biomatrix/plantsystem. FIG. 14 is a block diagram that illustrates certain functionalcomponents of an air and water hydroponic filtration system, under anembodiment. A biomatrix/plant system 1408 comprising a biomatrix or growmedia supporting a set of growing plants is mounted in an appropriatestructure, such as the filtration unit 900 of FIG. 9. A fan 1404 drawsair 1410 from a room or area (or other appropriate supply) through thebiomatrix/plant system 1408 for filtration where it is then returned tothe supply or environment. Similarly, a pump 1406 pumps water 1412 froma water supply (e.g., integrated water reservoir) through thebiomatrix/plant system 1408 for filtration where it is then returned tothe water supply. A control unit 1402 can control certain parametersassociated with fan 1404 and pump 1406, such as flow or pump rates,cycle times, and so on. The control unit 1402 can be a single integratedunit for both functions (air and water filtration) or it can be aseparated or distributed control unit for the different functions. Asshown in FIG. 14, the filtration unit essentially creates two filterloops within one unit using a single biomatrix structure. One loopfilters air and the other filters water using the natural filtrationcapabilities of growing plants. In an embodiment, the biomatrix is acomposite grow media, such as illustrated in FIG. 5, and the waterfiltration system is a closed loop system, such as shown in FIG. 7.

As shown in FIG. 9, the biomatrix is mounted to a backing structure toprovide a rigid mounting surface within the filtration unit, as well asto provide a surface that facilitates the flow of air through the unit.FIG. 10 illustrates a perforated backing that can be used to mount thebiomatrix for use in a filtration system, under an embodiment. As shownin FIG. 10, the backing element 1002 is a perforated steel sheet (of ⅛″thickness, for example) with a number of holes 1004 disposed throughoutthe surface of the sheet. In an embodiment, the holes are approximately⅜″ in diameter and spaced approximately ¼″ center-to-center, thoughother hole sizes and spacings are also possible depending onconfiguration and implementation requirements. The sheet 1002 can alsoinclude certain non-perforated sections that form a frame or otherstructure to provide strength and mounting or attachment elements. In anembodiment, the perforated steel sheet to which the biomatrix isattached is mounted at an angle 922 off vertical, as shown in FIG. 9.This angular alignment minimizes water migrating off of plant stems anddipping onto floors or surfaces outside of the system, as water flowsthrough the biomatrix 906 down to reservoir 914. The angle of thebiomatrix and perforated backing can range from any practical angle 922,such as from 3° to 7° and in most applications, an angle of about 5° maybe a preferred angle.

FIG. 11 illustrates the mounting of a biomatrix on a perforated backingelement, under an embodiment. As shown in diagram 1100 the biomatrix1104 is attached to the perforated backing 1102 by inserting rubberinsulated rivet nuts 1106 into some of the perforated openings (e.g.,⅜″). In addition, one-inch tall (or similar height) nylon standoffspacers and washers 1108 can be used to hold the biomatrix 1104 in placewithout undue compression. Mounting locations can vary depending on thesize of the biomatrix and the density/weight of the plant structure,among other implementation details. In an example implementation, therivet nut/spacers can be placed 12″ apart horizontally and 9″ apartvertically, though other spacings and configurations are also possible.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 14, an internal fan is used to draw air from theoutside of the unit through the biomatrix and back out to the outside.FIG. 12 illustrates the mounting of a fan within the filtration unit,under an embodiment. FIG. 12 generally illustrates a side view of theunit 900. For the embodiment diagram 1200, the exhaust fan 1202 is shownas being mounted on an upper portion of the unit 1202. The fan may be aninline exhaust fan, or any similar type of fan. In general, anyappropriate exhaust fan designed to move air within residential orcommercial applications, such as crawl pace venting or air supplyapplications can be used. Different fan size and operatingspecifications (e.g., airflow capacity, power requirements, etc.) may beused based on the configuration of the unit and the implementationrequirements of the filtration unit. As stated above, the illustratedembodiments show the exhaust fan 1204 as mounted in an upper portion ofthe filtration unit, which corresponds to the location of the clean airejection vent. Other locations for mounting the fan, and venting theclean air are also possible, however.

The fan can be configured to run constantly or it can be controlled tooperate periodically or only at specified times. In an embodiment, thefiltration unit includes a control subsystem that controls certainoperating parameters of the fan, such as timing, airflow, and otherpossible adjustable characteristics. For example, a timer (e.g., alighting timer) with a calendar function can be used to cycle the fan aset number (e.g. twice) of times per day for a period of time sufficientto move the total volume of air in the interior of the space through thesystem during a defined filtration cycle. Cycle times will vary with thevolume of air in a given space, and other implementation requirements.Other ancillary electric elements associated with the filtration unit,such as lights, water pump, and so on, can also be controlled throughthe control subsystem, such as shown in FIG. 14.

As shown in FIG. 9, the filtration unit includes a water reservoir 914to hold water flowing through the biomatrix 906. One or more waterpumps, such as a 750-gallon per hour submersible pump in the reservoircan be used to pump water to the top of the system. The size of the pumpwill vary with the volume of water in the reservoir and the height ofthe emitter array above water level. The control subsystem can include atimer (e.g., a percentage timer) to control irrigation/pump cycles. Pumpcycles can depend on implementation details, and in a typicalconfiguration, timers that provide relatively short on-times and longoff-times, with frequent cycles throughout the day are appropriate formany plant structures.

In an embodiment, the filtration unit may form part of a wall gardenthat includes an assembly of filtration units for placement against awall or surface in a building. FIG. 13 illustrates the use of twofiltration units to form a wall filter system, under an embodiment. Asshown in diagram 1300, two filtration units 1302 and 1304 are joinedtogether by a brace structure 1306. The filtration units can be the samesize and shape, as shown, or they can be of different sizes and shapes,and can be used to grow the same or different types of plants. Such astructure as shown in FIG. 13 can be used to form a wall garden aroundwindows or openings within a room or to facilitate framing certainarchitectural elements with plants within a room. Depending on the sizeof the filtration systems, one or more braces 1306 can be provided tofacilitate the mounting of the biomatrix on the filtration unit and/orthe filtration units against the wall.

Although embodiments of a filtration system are described andillustrated for a substantially vertical orientation, it should be notedthat other configurations are possible, including horizontal mounting ofthe biomatrix or any appropriate angle between 0 and 90 degrees.

Embodiments are described for a closed-loop, vertical garden system forgrowing plants and filtering air comprising: a support structure; acomposite, lightweight grow media for use in vertical aquaponic gardensand configured to physically support the growth of plants and distributewater to the roots of the plants through capillary action through thearea of the grow media; a water source coupled to the grow media througha pump and plumbing system, wherein the plumbing system is configured todraw water from the water source through the grow media and back to thewater source in substantially closed loop aquatic system; and an airflow subsystem configured to draw outside air through the plants andtransmit filtered air back out through the support structure.

Embodiments are further described for an apparatus comprising: a supportstructure configured to be oriented vertically with respect to theground; a perforated backing element mounted within the supportstructure; a grow media mounted to the perforated backing unit forsupporting the growth of one or more varieties of plants in a directionsubstantially perpendicular to the plane of the backing element anddistribute water to the roots of the plants through capillary actionthrough the area of the grow media; and a fan disposed within thesupport structure and configured to draw air from outside of the supportstructure through the plants and out of a vent of the support structure.

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout thedescription and the claims, the words “comprise,” “comprising,” and thelike are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to anexclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in a sense of “including,but not limited to.” Words using the singular or plural number alsoinclude the plural or singular number respectively. Additionally, thewords “herein,” “hereunder,” “above,” “below,” and words of similarimport refer to this application as a whole and not to any particularportions of this application. When the word “or” is used in reference toa list of two or more items, that word covers all of the followinginterpretations of the word: any of the items in the list, all of theitems in the list and any combination of the items in the list.

The above description of illustrated embodiments of the verticalaquaponic micro garden and filtration system is not intended to beexhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise form or structuresdisclosed. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the microfarm are described herein for illustrative purposes, various equivalentmodifications are possible within the scope of the describedembodiments, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize.

The elements and acts of the various embodiments described above can becombined to provide further embodiments. These and other changes can bemade to the location-based social network manager process in light ofthe above detailed description.

In general, in any following claims, the terms used should not beconstrued to limit the described system to the specific embodimentsdisclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construedto include all operations or processes that operate under the claims.Accordingly, the described system is not limited by the disclosure, butinstead the scope of the recited method is to be determined entirely bythe claims.

While certain aspects of the vertical aquaponic micro farm andfiltration system, according to an embodiment are presented below incertain claim forms, the inventor contemplates the various aspects ofthe methodology in any number of claim forms. Accordingly, the inventorreserves the right to add additional claims after filing the applicationto pursue such additional claim forms for other aspects of the describedsystems and methods.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus comprising: a support structure configured to be oriented substantially vertically with respect to the ground; a perforated backing element mounted within the support structure, the perforated backing element configured to support a grow medium facilitating growth of one or more varieties of plants in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the backing element; a baffle within the support structure and configured to create a channel within the apparatus to allow air to flow down a front face, under a bottom edge and up a rear face of the baffle through the channel, and further configured to allow air to flow at an approximately equal rate across both vertical and horizontal dimensions of the grow medium; a fan mounted along a top portion of the support structure and configured to draw air from outside of the support structure through the grow media and channel; and a longitudinal vent disposed along a top portion of the channel formed by the baffle to discharge the air flowed by the fan out of the support structure.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the support structure comprises at least a partially enclosed area configured to channel the air drawn from the outside and through the vent.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the vent comprises a slot opening that discharges air from the inside of the support structure back to the outside of the support structure.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the perforated backing element is disposed within the support structure at an angle relative to a perpendicular axis of the support structure.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the angle is within the range of 3 degrees to 7 degrees.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fan comprises an inline exhaust fan.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a control circuit including a timer controlling a periodic operation of the fan. 